Firstly it is important to point out there is no legal requirement for landlords to inspect and test the electrical installation. However landlords do have an obligation that anything they supply to tenants is safe and the surest way of achieving this is through inspection and testing.
Electrical Safety First recommends regular periodic inspections. These should be carried out by a registered electrician. After a periodic inspection, you should always be given an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) containing details of the inspection and testing undertaken, the outcomes of the inspection and testing with recommendations as to what remedial action (if any) is required, and a declaration of whether or not the installation is safe for continued use.
What ~ Periodic inspection (sometimes called formal inspection and test or periodic inspection and test)
When ~ The maximum period recommended between the initial inspection (when the installation was first put into service) and the first periodic inspection and test is five years.
Periods between subsequent inspections will depend on the condition of the installation at the time of the preceding inspection, but it is recommended that periodic inspection and testing is carried out at least every five years or at the end of a tenancy, whichever comes first.
Where a change of tenancy occurs after a short period (for example less than six months), a full periodic inspection and test may not always be needed (see Visual check below)
Who ~ Carried out by a registered electrician.
Product ~ Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR). A schedule of circuit details and test results should always be provided as part of the Electrical Installation Condition Report and should be kept next to the consumer unit (fusebox) for information purposes.
What ~ Visual check (sometimes called an interim check or electrical safety check)
Where a change of tenancy occurs after a short period (for example less than six months), a full periodic inspection and test may not always be needed. However, in such cases, the landlord or their representative should always carry out a visual check to confirm that the property is safe to re-let.
The visual check should include ensuring that there are no burnt, broken or missing switches or sockets, no accessible live parts, no signs of burning on electrical equipment, and carrying out a manual test of any installed RCDs. Things to look out for include:
• Broken accessories (such as sockets and light switches).
• Signs of scorching around sockets due to overloading.
• Overheating of electrical equipment (such as lampholders fitted with the wrong lamps) – usually detected by a strong, often fishlike, smell.
• Damaged cables to portable electrical appliances or trailing cables/flexes.
• Circuit breaker protecting the circuit.
A visual check is only be carried out where a formal inspection and test (EICR) has been carried out on the property (within the last 5 years) and any actions recorded on the EICR have been addressed.
Who ~ Carried out by an electrician or the landlord or their representative.
Product ~ If carried out by an electrician will produce a Visual Condition Report (VCR). If carried out by the landlord or his representative they will typically complete a Landlords’ Interim Checklist (checklist here)
Electrical Safety First provide a Home ‘Electrical Safety Check’ app details of which can be found here
Inspection and testing of electrical appliances, often called portable appliance testing (PAT), is not included in any of the above. More information on the inspection and testing of electrical appliances can be found here
Further reading
Landlords’ Guide to Electrical Safety here